Stay with Me
by SassyAngel05
Summary: S/S! Sequel to Come Back to Me. The Last Chapter!
1. Default Chapter

Author: Vona  
Title: Stay with Me  
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, it is still not mine. J.J. Abrams owns them.  
Rating: PG-13  
Pairing: S/S, W/F  
Summary: It's the sequel to Come Back to Me. I wasn't going to write one, but everyone's wonderful reviews convinced me that there was something there. The repercussions of Sark's return. This is before Phase One, remember, so Francie is still alive and the Alliance still exists.  
Feedback: I love it, so please do give me feedback.  
Distribution: Just ask.  
  
Stay with Me  
  
  
Sydney woke up cradled in Sark's arms. She smiled and kissed his chest lightly. Sark's eyes popped open and found himself holding Sydney. It seemed too good to be true. "This isn't a dream, is it?"  
Sydney shook her head, unable to speak. After months of believing him dead, she didn't want to ruin the moment. He stroked her soft, brown hair. She leaned up and just before their lips touched, a wail was heard. Sydney giggled.  
"I have the feeling that's going to be a regular occurrence."  
"I don't mind at all."  
Sydney rolled out of bed, pulling her terry cloth robe on. She padded into the nursery and lifted their little girl out of her crib. "Hello, Mercy Baby. How are you this morning?" She rocked her back and forth and walked into the kitchen where Will and Francie were. "Good mornin'."  
Francie had a mischievous look on her face and Will sipped his coffee slowly.  
"You didn't come back out last night." Francie pointed out.  
Sydney shrugged nonchalantly and grunted. Sark entered, holding his arms out to the newborn. Sydney placed her in his arms and poured them each a glass of juice.  
"I'm on maternity leave for two weeks and then I have to go back to the bank."  
Sark's face changed, a look of worry plainly on his face. Now was not the time discuss it, though. The door bell rang and Sydney shot him a look. He immediately retreated down the hall and she opened the front door.   
"Dad!"  
"Hello, Sydney." He stopped ackwardly in the foyer. Francie turned around the counter.  
"Guess who showed up last night, Mr. Bristow!"  
Will adeptly caught her around the waist and lowered his mouth onto hers. Francie was shut up, that much was for sure. Shocked, surprised, confused as well. Sydney smiled greatfully at her best friend and jerked her dad into the living room. Francie pulled away.   
"What was that for?"  
Will gave her an impish grin.  
"Jack doesn't know who the father is. You almost gave it away."  
Francie's face fell in disappointment. Will raised his hand to her cheek.  
"If you want, this could happen again."  
Francie's smile brightened the room. Will kissed her again, both friends discovering feelings for each other they never knew existed.  
  
Jack sat down uncomfortably in an arm chair. "How are you feeling, Sydney?"  
"I feel great. Mercy is absolutely perfect."  
"I thought the same thing when you were born."  
A heavy silence fell over the father and daughter.  
"Where is Mercy?"  
"In the nursery."  
"May I go see her?"  
"You want to see Mercy?" Sydney repeated, raising her voice. Jack nodded and Sydney led him down the corridor, speaking loudly the entire time. They entered the cool nursery and the only trace of Sark was the faint scent of his overpriced cologne, undetectable to everyone except Sydney, whose finely honed senses noticed the comforting aroma. Jack leaned over the basinet.  
"Hello, Little One." He was every bit the doting grandfather. He may not have been the best father, but he intended to make up everything to his granddaughter. *beep beep beep* Jack checked his pager.  
"Sloane needs to meet with me."  
"Okay." Sydney impulsively hugged her dad. "Thanks for stopping by."  
Jack nodded and left the house. Sydney watched Sark come out of the closet.   
"We need to talk, Sweetheart."  
"I know." She took a seat in the rocking chair and Sark knelt by her.  
  
Sloane clasped his fingers together, making a teepee with his hands. Jack leaned back in the leather chair.   
"Did you need something, Arvin?"  
Sloane looked absolutely perplexed.  
"We've received some intel that Mr. Sark is very much alive."  
Jack felt his stomach tighten, but remained steady.  
"Oh? Is it reliable?"  
"Most likely. We've been given correct information from this source before."  
"Did they give you a location?"  
"No. They aren't sure where he is, but he is in the Greater Los Angeles area."  
"I see." Jack said wisely, his mind flashing back to his meeting this morning with Sydney.  
"I want you to investigate it, Jack. Use all your resources, your contacts. Find him. Make sure he's dead this time."  
Sloane touched his head, impatiently. He stared at Jack, waiting for his response. Jack nodded slowly.  
"It will be done."  
Sloane dismissed his friend. Jack exited the office, digesting the information given to him by Sloane.  
  
Sydney stared into Sark's eyes.  
"What are you going to say?"  
Foreboding washed through Sydney's body. Sark reached up and cupped her cheek.  
"It isn't safe for me to be here."  
"You want to leave already?"  
"I don't want to, but I'll endanger your friends, you, and Mercy."  
Sydney shook her head in immediate denial.  
"Everyone thinks your dead."  
"Exactly. When they find out I'm not, which inevetibly they will, they'll come after you two. They always do."  
"Let me ask my dad for help. Or we can talk to my mother. I need you to stay with me."  
"You think Jack Bristow will want to help me?"  
"He'd want you to be there for me and Mercy."  
"Wishful thinking, Sweetheart."  
"Can I at least ask him?"  
Sark sighed, unable to say no to her.  
"If you want."  
"I was planning to visit Mom today."  
"Go ahead, then."  
"You'll still be here when I get back, won't you?"  
"I promise you I will."  
Sydney kissed him softly, their lips melding together in the short kiss. She handed him Mercy so she could go take her shower. 


	2. Stay with Me Chapter Two

Stay with Me  
Chapter Two  
  
  
  
Weiss opened the door for Sydney when she entered the CIA Operations Center. He started making the general goo goo noises at the beautiful newborn. Vaughn immediately took the diaper bag and helped her inside.  
"Hey, Sydney."  
"Hi, Vaughn."  
"How are you feeling?"  
"Better than ever. Is my mom on the roof?"  
"Yeah. Are you wanting to speak with her?"  
"I promised I would bring Mercy by to see her."  
"That girl is going to be messed up. Mom and Grandpa are super spies, Grandma is prisoner for espionage and treason, and Daddy is a cold-blooded kill..." Vaughn stopped, realizing he had just given himself away. Sydney cradled Mercy to her, brown eyes flashing in anger.  
"How do you know that?"  
Vaughn smiled sheepishly, hoping charm could get him out of this one.  
"I've, uh, known for a while."  
"A while? Define a while."  
"Since you talked to your mother privately and the room was wired, leaving Weiss, your dad, and I knowing who the father is."  
Sydney sighed, turning away from her handler, furious at his betrayal. She jerked the diaper bag away from him and strode towards the door to the roof.  
  
Irina was staring at the view of the trees, inhaling the fresh air.  
"Mom?"  
Irina flicked her eyes to the door and saw her daughter, clutching a tiny bundle in her arms.  
"Is that my granddaughter?" That seemed to snap Sydney out of her reverie. She walked to her mom and Irina looked through the blue and yellow plaid blanket. Mercy opened her wide blue eyes to study her grandmother. She clamped onto Irina's long hair and seemed quite content to just hold it. Sydney and Irina exchanged smiles, bonded by the little girl.   
"She really looks like the both of you." Irina stated, quietly. Mercy let go of her tresses and closed her eyes again, her mid-morning nap calling to her.  
"He's alive."  
Irina's head whipped up, "What?"  
"Andrew is alive. He came back to me last night."  
"That's wonderful!" Irina exclaimed, sincerely.  
Sydney nodded. "I'm glad to have him home. But I don't know how safe it will stay. I'm hoping Dad will help us."  
"Do you think he will?"   
Irina already knew the answer to her own question. Of course not. He wouldn't help Mr. Sark, no matter how hard she begged. Irina knew exactly what to do, but she would wait. Sydney would come to her. Just wait, she had all the time in the world. Then, she would truly help her daughter. Sydney shrugged, shifting Mercy to her other arm. She was tiny, being premature, no larger than a doll.  
"I hope he will."  
Sydney smiled at her mother, knowing it was just a sad hope.  
"Sydney, Irina, time's up." Vaughn called from the doorway. Sydney wished she could hug her mother, but they'd already had that chance. Irina nodded, understanding Sydney's motion. Sydney choked a good bye to her mom and brushed past Vaughn.  
"Syd..."  
"Don't talk to me." Irina raised her eye brows, observing the usually harmonious couple's disharmony. Vaughn watched her leave before nodding to the marshalls to take Irina back to her cell.  
  
Jack ran into Sydney on her way out the door.  
"Sydney! I need to discuss something with you."  
Jack took the carrier away from her and led her into a private room. "What is it?"  
"Sark may be alive. Sloane received some intel from a source that he never died."  
Sydney chose her words carefully.  
"Yes. Does Sloane know where he is?"  
"He requested that I find him. And kill him."  
Sydney glanced down at her lap, her hands folded demurely.  
"Dad, um, well, you already know Sark is Mercy's father."  
"He is?" Jack said, feigning innocence.  
"Vaughn already told me about the wire."  
Jack looked away from his daughter's gaze, feeling almost ashamed.  
"Okay, so I do know."  
"Well, he came back last night. He isn't dead."  
Her eyes had taken on a loving sparkle as she spoke.  
"He obviously needs to hide, until we can get him cover or get rid of the Alliance. I want him in Los Angeles. Do you think you can help us? Or the CIA?"  
Jack shook his head vehemetly.  
"No. He's an enemy of the United States."  
"He's Mercy's father."  
"He's killed a countless amount of people."  
"I love him."  
A dark pall fell over the room. She had never directly admitted to being in love with Sark to her father.  
"No."  
Sydney shook her head and gathered things.  
"Fine."  
She exited the room in a rush of rage and anger.  
  
Sydney slammed the house door, waking Mercy into a scream. Sark was on the couch, waiting for her return.  
"My girls are not happy."  
"No, they aren't." Sydney muttered as she quieted the baby girl. Sark wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his lips to the crown of her head.  
"What's got you so upset?"  
Sydney leaned into his gently caress, burying her head into his chest. She held onto him, inhaling his cologne, the comforting scent she knew so well. His soothing voice broke through the silence. "Do you want talk about it?"  
"He betrayed me, they both did. Then he refuses to help."  
"Your dad?"  
"And Vaughn."  
Sark's hand slid into her hair, massaging his head methodically.  
"I asked him to help us. He refused. He's so stubborn."  
"Because that doesn't run in the family."  
Sydney grinned in spite of herself.  
"I don't want you to leave. I need you. Mercy needs you."  
Sark whispered huskily into her ear, "I need you, also."  
"But if you stay, Sloane will find out and kill you for real this time. He already knows your alive. He wants my dad to find you...and dispose of you."  
"What do you want me to do, Sweetheart?"  
"I want you, Andrew."  
Sark took her mouth to his, overtaking her sadness and turning it into passion. Their foreheads rested on each other.  
"What am I supposed do?"  
"We'll talk to Irina. I need to. If you put on a set of comm links and make it so Irina and I can converse, we might be able to devise a plan."  
"You think she can help us; even in captivity?"  
"I know she can and she will. Though, she's probably done a lot of evil in your life, she's always cared for you. Much like myself."  
Sydney looked up at him, studying his face.  
"I don't hate you for what you've done. You know that. We were on opposite sides. I still love you, Andrew."  
Sark's eyes softened, but guilt still hung in the irises. Sydney brushed her hand down his jaw line, kissing a trail down his neck.  
"I love you, Sydney." He whispered it throatily, feeling his temperature rise. The tension slid into the air, full of their attraction and passion. He raised Sydney's chin, pulling her lips from her very steady work on his collarbone and kissed her with a fire never used before. He tightened his hold and pulled her towards him. Sydney found herself running her hand through Sark's tousled blond hair. He led her to the couch, never breaking their contact, forgetting for a moment about Mercy. 


	3. Stay with Me Chapter Three

Stay With Me  
Chapter Three  
  
  
It had been three days since Sydney had asked Jack for aid, help that had been denied. So, she was turning to her mother. She pressed the ring on her left finger, an idea she and Sark had come up with. His own ring holding a telecommunications piece as well. Sydney could hear his voice on the other end of the ring, the other side the microphone. It worked well.  
"You there?"  
"Indeed."  
"My mom's on the roof for her second time this week. She gets two fifteen minute times every week. Make sure you get it all together."  
"Thanks for the warning."  
Sydney felt the cool air hit her face as she entered the roof top cage. Irina had a feeling she would visit today.  
"Hello, Sydney."  
"Mom, hey." She stopped at the edge of the terrace, next to her mother.  
"Sark wants to talk to you." Sydney said, lowering her voice.  
"He can't exactly make it up here without being caught."  
She wiggled her ring finger and Sark's voice came through.  
"Irina."  
"Mr. Sark, delightful to hear from you again."  
"It's been a while. As you know, Sydney and I are together, with our baby. After suffering from a bout of fake death, I returned. Sloane will find out, though, and I wish to both protect my-family-and stay with them."  
Sark realized that he did have a family. After years without one, he'd gained an even better one.  
"Go to one of my safe houses."  
Irina's accented voice broke through his thoughts.  
"Which one?"  
"On Revello Drive. No one knows about this one."  
"What does it look like?"  
"It's white and blue. Stay there until I work out some last minute kinks in my plan."  
"You have a plan?"  
"I knew Jack wouldn't help you, so I've been working on it for the last three days."  
Sark started to smirk.  
"Always prepared."  
"I think it's time for you two to gain the knowledge on how to destroy the Alliance."  
Sydney stared at her mother in shock.  
"You've always known how to destroy the Alliance."  
"Yes." Irina replied simply.  
Sydney didn't say anything else.  
"Just go to the house and be safe. You know, you're a part of this dysfunctional family now."  
Sark chuckled as he continued to listen to the women.  
"Thank you." Sydney said, quietly.  
"I owe you a lot in your life. It's a start."  
Sydney's eyes welled up, her emotions running wild. The one who has been present in her life refused to help and the woman who betrayed everything that she believed in was helpful.  
"I'm going to go home."  
"Be careful, Sweetie." Irina warned.  
"I will." Sydney tightened her jacket, leaving the rooftop.  
  
Jack knocked lightly on the glass to Sloane's office. Sloane motioned for him to enter, still on the phone.  
"Au revoir. Jack, any news?"  
"My search has remained unsuccessful. Mr. Sark is no where to be found."  
"I am not at all happy about this. The Alliance will be ever more disappointed."  
"I can continue my attempts to uncover his whereabouts if you want, Arvin."  
"Please do. He betrayed us and then disappeared. He must pay."  
Jack nodded curtly.  
  
Sark had already left for the safe house, not waiting for Sydney's return. The sooner he found out Irina's plan, the sooner he could be at home with Sydney.  
"Baby, you hear me?"  
"Yeah. I'm on my way home."  
Sydney pulled into the driveway next to Francie's car, who was getting out.  
"I'm on my way to the safehouse. I decided it would be better if I went while everyone was gone. Will is taking care of Mercy."  
"But..."  
"Hey, I'm going to find out what's at the house."  
Francie stared at Sydney curiously, who promptly waved her off.  
"Ok. Careful. I love you."  
"Me, too." The com link went silent as Sark pulled in front of the house. 


	4. Stay with Me Chapter Four

Stay With Me  
Chapter Four  
  
  
Sark cautiously opened the door to Irina's safehouse. He sweeped the house for listening devices, cameras, and any other kind of bug possible. Everything looked normal. Sark found a laptop sitting on a table, dust settling over the screen and keyboard. Sark blew on the machine to make the grain rise. He turned it on and easily hacked into the system, partly because he was genius, partly because he knew Irina Derevko so well. He began a seach through the files, unsure of what he was looking for. Then, it hit him. A file named SEB flashed across the screen. Sydney Elizabeth Bristow. He stopped it and knew this was it. Instructions on how to use the Bible and the exact location of it. He thought it was in Madagaskar and had been blown to pieces, but apparently not. He scanned the document and realized the Bible was in the house. All the searches for the manual and it had been in Los Angeles the whole time. Sark started to grin, admiring Irina's talent and brilliance, feeling the worry and tension slide away. Irina was going to fix this. She always did. He printed out the directions and followed them. They were a little odd. Only Sark could understand the direction's questions.  
*Above the girl, the baby begins.*  
He found a picture of a little Sydney and felt around the frame. A key slid down.  
*In front of the wood, a key will fit.*  
Sark looked outside and a tree was directly out the window in the kitchen. He looked down at the kitchen sink and saw an ornate tree backsplash. He moved the tile aside and a key hole lay underneath. He unlatched it. Sark pulled out a heart shaped pendant.  
*Not five nor three nor four nor ten, only the age in which disappearing occurs.*  
Sark found an odd shaped six in a group of dried flowers. He pulled up on the six and the vase lifted, revealing a heart. Sark planted the heart into the hole and the wall opened. Inside lay a binder. A thick, blue binder. The Bible. Sark glanced around at the small closet. It had a key pad in the middle of the wall. He stopped for a moment, considering possible codes. He settled for their code for Tolstoy, her favorite author.  
8954575  
The gridlines switched off and he had access to the manuscript. He put his hand on the blue notebook and he could feel the power it held. A strange feeling washed over him, but he resisted the urge to open it and run off; holding the power to take down any organization he desired. He had a family now, attachments. He had a reason to stay. He loved Sydney more than anything and he had a daughter. But it took all the strength in the world not to open that book.  
  
Sydney had to wait four days until her mother was back on the roof. They were away from prying ears and eyes, and hopefully kept them all protected. Sydney pressed the diamond.  
"Andrew?"  
"Is she up there?"  
"Yep. Did you find anything at the house?"  
"Well, I need to talk to your mother."  
Sydney felt hurt that he wouldn't share the secret, left out and suspicious. What if he just wanted to break Irina out. Maybe she was aiding that.  
"Angel Baby, I need to tell your mother before I tell you. Don't be angry."  
Sydney sighed, ignoring the look she received from Vaughn as she entered. Irina was tapping her foot impatiently, waiting for the arrival of her daughter.  
"Morning, Sydney."  
Sydney smiled, "Hi, Mom."  
"Irina."  
Irina nodded, jumping right into it. "Did you find it?"  
"Great hiding spot, creative clues."  
"Only you and I would understand them. You opened it already."  
"Actually, no, I chose to wait."  
Irina blinked in surprise.  
"The power scared you." She predicted.  
"Not scared, exactly."  
"Go to page 545."  
Sydney heard him flipping through the pages of some book.  
"Irina, it's..."  
"Everything the CIA needs to take down the Alliance. The locations, the heads of each branch, codes, and all the inventory of each branch's vault."  
Sydney broke into a grin.  
"Mom..."  
"You can have your life back, Sydney."  
Sydney threw her arms around the woman, ignoring the marshall's screams. Irina held her until they jerked them apart, reality returning.  
"Keep it safe!" She yelled into the air as Sydney was pulled inside the Operations builidng. Tears fell down, relief and hope and sadness all rolled into one. Vaughn rushed over, afraid Sydney had been upset by Irina.  
"Sydney?"  
"Get Kendall. We can take the Alliance down. We've got the information."  
"We?"  
"Sark and I."  
"He is dead."  
"No, he's not. Come on." So Vaughn hurried to Kendall's office.  
  
"What is this about you knowing how to take down the Alliance, Agent Bristow?" Kendall asked as soon as he entered the room. Sydney raised her head confidentally, meeting Kendall's imploring stare.  
"Yes, I know how. Sark?"  
"Here, Sweetheart."  
Kendall's mouth opened in shock; first from the voice of Sark alive and well, also by Sark's term of endearment, since Kendall was still living in oblivion.   
"Go ahead and read the information. You might want someone who can type quickly, Kendall." Sydney said calmly. Kendall called another officer in.  
Sark began, "Beijing, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Dempassar, Wake City, Santo Dominco, Quebec, Berlin, Madrid, the locations of all twelve Alliance branches. Names: Alain Christophe, Arvin Sloane, James Montrose, Peter Vilder, Malcolm Feldebern, Jose Rodriguez, Xander Peale, William Sparklen, Jason Smith, Richard Owen, Nicolas Welk, David Dupont. Codes for the computer infiltration: 125, 367, 921, 834, 765, 577, 723, 532, 276, 466, 354, 621. The artifacts inside the vault remain to be unseen." Sark fibbed that part, deciding to let the CIA figure that out alone. Kendall stated, stubbornly, "We're supposed to trust Mr. Sark?"  
Sydney shrugged. "There's nothing I can say that will make you believe him."  
"How do you know all this intel?"  
Sark answered, "I've been gathering the information for a year."  
An obvious fib to only Sydney.  
"This information could be wrong."  
"It's not." Sark and Sydney said in unison.   
"I'll contact my superiors and discuss this with them. Until then, no movements on the Alliance."  
Sydney nodded and left the room, unaware that Vaughn was behind her.  
"Where'd you really get this intel?"  
"I found the Bible."  
Sydney smiled. "Are you going to keep it?"  
"No. It's going back into oblivion."  
"It did scare you."  
"No. I just - it's hard to resist using it to my advantage. But I love you and it will be worth it. I hope we can both leave this life. I have enough money for the three of us to live comfortably without having to work."  
Sydney sighed in contentment, knowing what he said was true. They could live comfortably together with their child. The day of reckoning for Arvin Sloane was approaching and he would pay.  
"Sydney? He's got the Bible?"   
Sydney whirled around to face her handler.  
"How long have you been following me?"  
"Since you left. He's got the Bible and you aren't going to force him to give it to CIA?"  
Sydney rolled her eyes. "Nope."  
She started to walk again, hoping Vaughn wouldn't betray her.  
"Come on, Syd."  
"No one should have the manual, government or no. It's took much for someone to possess."  
"It's not right."  
"Vaughn, please. Trust me."  
He took a deep breath, considering.  
"Fine. I'll call you when we know that the Alliance can be destroyed."  
"Thanks."  
Sydney unlocked the door to the SUV, giving Vaughn a smile before starting the engine. 


	5. Stay with Me Chapter Five

Stay with Me  
Chapter Five  
  
Three days later, Sydney was sitting in the rocking chair, gliding Mercy to sleep. She kissed the top of Mercy's baby powdery head. Her cell phone rang and Will answered it for her.  
"Syd! It's him!"  
Sydney took the phone, answering quietly, so not to wake up the baby.  
"Hello?"  
"We're taking it down today."  
"I'll be there in ten minutes."   
"Congratulations, Sydney."  
"Thanks."   
She hung up the phone, handing Will Mercy.  
"Watch her while I go get rid of this miserable double life."  
"I'm proud of you. You fought back and I admire that."  
Sydney kissed his cheek before returning to the headquarters.  
  
She contacted Sark about the world-wide destroying of the Alliance. He wished he could help take down the Alliance, but going into the office with 20 CIA officers was not the best decision. So, he would wait until Sydney said it was over. The CIA agents were in the garage of Credit Dauphine, ready to storm it. They snuck inside, taking down the security officers. Sydney rushed inside, ignoring the confused looks of Dixon and Marshall. She ran straight to Sloane's office. She and Vaughn opened the door to the office.  
"He's gone!"  
The other people of SD-6 were being arrested.  
"He's gone." Sydney got this sinking feeling.  
"Oh, no! MERCY! SARK! Sark!!" She pressed frantically on her ring.  
"GET TO THE HOUSE! SLOANE'S GONE!"  
"MERCY!"  
"GO! I'll meet you there. Please hurry."  
She could hear the patter of Sark's shoes hitting the pavement and the screech of his convertible as he sped to the house. She turned to Vaughn, horrified.  
"He knew. I've got to get to Mercy."  
Vaughn sprinted with her to the car, calling out the problem on the way to the garage. Vaughn started the car and they sped down the street, dodging in and out of the lanes to get to the house. 


	6. Stay with Me Chapter Six

Stay with Me  
Chapter Six  
  
AN: Thank you so much for reading this story. Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. First, I couldn't get into fan fiction.net. Then, I got in a car wreck. So I've been kind of busy. But here it is. The last chapter. Thank you so much for all the kind reviews I've gotten. I appreciate each and every one of them.  
  
Sark and Sydney arrived at the same time. He grabbed her hand and they entered the house, going directly to the nursery. Will was tied to the chair, a gag in his mouth, watching Sloane fearfully. Sloane held the baby in his arms, a sinister smile on his face.  
"Finally. I'm surprised it took you both so long to join me." He commented without looking at them.  
Sydney's breath caught in her throat.  
"Mercy..."  
"I'm shocked I didn't piece it together. The way you two started to act at work, your reaction to Sark's death, even the baby looks like him. But I never even thought of it; you two being together. No. I wanted to believe you would never betray me, Sydney. You have all this time, though. You even had him cover for you, casting away the suspicions. It hurt me, Sydney, deeply."  
Sydney narrowed her eyes, only wanting to protect her daughter.  
"I don't care, Sloane. Give me my daughter back."  
"You caused me a lot of pain. I could simply kill you both."  
He looked down at Mercy, a calm spreading over him.  
"But, I know how to cause you even more pain. Just a little bundle that brings so much joy and with a snap of my hand, she'll be gone; your joy will be gone."  
Sydney felt a single tear roll down her cheek. Sark squeezed her hand twice, a comforting symbol between the two. Suddenly, his gun was cocked and the shot fired, sending Sloane down. Sydney jerked, taking the blood splattered baby from her enemy as he fell to his death. She clutched Mercy, tears mingling with the sticky red liquid. Sark checked for Sloane's pulse, but found none. He untied Will before hurrying over to his family, wrapping them tightly in his arms. Jack and Vaughn entered, Kendall and Weiss following, seeing the scene before him. Kendall was the only one who didn't understand.  
"Jack, what is happening?"  
"Sark is Mercy's father."  
Sark pressed a gentle kiss on Sydney's forehead and stroked her hair in a calming motion. Her tears soaked his chest, but he didn't care.   
"I need to wash Mercy. So the blood won't dry." She said it abstractly, pulling away from everyone and going into the bathroom to wash her child.  
  
Sloane's body had been removed from the house. The blood was currently being scrubbed away by Will and Vaughn, hopefully before Francie returned. Sydney hadn't been able to leave Mercy alone since the shooting. Sure, she knew Sloane was dead, but it made her feel better. She couldn't help but be afraid. Sark came up behind her, embracing her, the sunlight reflecting off their faces. She turned to him, staring into his crystal blue eyes. Reassurance stood in them, promises of protection and love. She smiled as he trailed kisses down her neck, feather light butterflies. Will groaned, "Can you two please get a room?"  
Sark whispered in her ear, "I think we should arrange that."  
Sydney giggled, feeling the weight being lifted off her shoulders. She had Sark. The Alliance was gone. Mercy was fine. Her friends were out of danger. And she was no longer a spy. They could live now.  
"Sweetheart, I love you. Don't worry. We can protect our family if we have to."  
Sydney nodded, her brown eyes meeting his.  
"I love you, too. I think we'll all be fine."  
He took her hand in placed his lips on her ring.  
"I think we should keep our rings as communication."  
"That was clever."  
He lowered his mouth onto hers. Will grumbled again, annoyed by the very public display of affection. The blood had finally disappeared off the wall and Mercy's blanket was in the washing machine. Vaughn had taken the wailing girl in his arms, murmuring jumbled words to her. Francie came in, surprised to see a new man in the room, but was quickly introduced. Francie gave Will a quick kiss, unaware of what had occurred in the room only hours before. Michael...no, not Vaughn, Michael melded into the group easily. Sydney grinned against Sark's shoulder.  
"What's that grin for?"  
"My life is in order. My two lives are combining, the spy stuff totally gone. I'm free and happy."  
"Then so am I."  
They turned their attention back to Sydney's friends, ecstatic once again, or perhaps for the first time.  
  
FIN 


End file.
